Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
202. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has determined the viability of gas reservoirs in nearby areas of the Mayo coast already licensed for exploration that have the potential to tie into Corrib Gas existing infrastructure allowing gas to be brought ashore with minimum disruption. [51550/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a condition of petroleum authorisations, the holders of such authorisations are required to carry out technical work programmes in order to evaluate the prospectivity of the licenced area and to report the results of work programmes to the Geoscience Regulation Office of my Department. The holders of the exploration authorisations in the Slyne Basin, in nearby areas of the Mayo coast adjacent to the producing Corrib gas field, have mapped prospects in their licensed areas but have not drilled any wells on the authorisations. As such, exploration on the authorisations is in the early stages. While the Geoscience Regulation Office in my Department reviews the results of the agreed work programmes it does not carry out its own evaluation of the viability of reservoirs at the early stages of exploration in the licensed areas.
